U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly thanked FIFA after the governing body suspended the one-match ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing him to feature in the USA’s FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Belgium. The decision has sparked widespread debate across the football world.
A major controversy has erupted at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after FIFA suspended the automatic one-match suspension handed to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Shortly after FIFA announced its decision, President Donald Trump praised the football governing body, describing the reversal as the correction of “a great injustice.”
Balogun had been sent off during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a VAR review determined that he had committed a serious foul.
Under normal FIFA regulations, the dismissal carried an automatic one-match suspension, which would have ruled him out of the knockout fixture against Belgium.
However, FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend enforcement of the ban for a one-year probationary period, making Balogun immediately eligible for selection against Belgium. The red card remains on his disciplinary record and the suspended sanction could be activated if he commits a similar offence during the probation period.
Following FIFA’s announcement, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform:
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Reports from multiple international media outlets say Trump personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the decision before the suspension was lifted. FIFA has not publicly confirmed that the reversal resulted from those conversations.
The decision has drawn strong criticism from the Royal Belgian Football Association, which described the move as “astonishing” and said it is examining possible legal options. Several football figures, including coaches and former players, have also questioned whether the ruling creates an undesirable precedent for future disciplinary cases.
The U.S. Soccer Federation welcomed FIFA’s decision, saying it accepted the ruling and was pleased Balogun would be available for selection.
Meanwhile, Belgium’s football federation said it would continue reviewing the decision in order to protect what it described as the principles of fairness and sporting integrity.
FIFA’s unprecedented decision has become one of the biggest talking points of the 2026 World Cup, with debates continuing over the balance between correcting perceived officiating errors and preserving the integrity of disciplinary procedures. Balogun’s availability is expected to provide a major boost for the United States as they pursue a place in the quarter-finals.